why service at 3000 intervals?

Strange on most Prius the light comes on at startup at about 4500 and goes steady at 5000 miles.

Where did the 3000 mile service come from, Dealer installed option to get more business?

Take 3 quarts of your favorite synthetic oil, have them add it and return the empties.

 

Search for posts by "Jayman". It's worth the effort. The short story is that American Oil standards are set by the oil companies and the European Oil Standards are set by the Car Companies. You can figure out which organization recommends changing the oil every month and which requires oil to preserve the car engine.

 

That's the case on mine too and, I thought, on all US models.

 

If you're doing everything the dealer wants you to do, and doing it every 3000 miles, you're getting hosed.

Go get the Scheduled Maintenance Guide that came with your new Prius. Open it to the appropriate X miles/Y months page. Show it to the service writer and tell him to do what's on that page and *nothing else*. Be firm. Any maintenance items beyond that are a waste of money. (Of course if they find something that's broken and needs to be repaired, that's an additional matter.)

5K service is basically an oil change. It should not cost much more than $30. I just had 30K service done at a dealer; doing only the Maintenance Guide items cost me $61. The same dealer's "30K service package" costs $199.

 

If it does go off at 3,000 miles I'd just reset the reminder myself and wait until 6,000.

 

weird - i didn't know the computer could be changed to set it to 3000 mile intervals

hm, ask the dealer to fix it to blink at 4500 and go on steady at 5000 like its supposed to?

 

And suggest that if they can't correctly set a simple reminder as recommended by Toyota, you will find somewhere else to take your business.

Tom

 

I wouldn't trust a dealer to empty my ashtray. And you don't seem to trust yours either.Why don't you buy your own Mobil 1 and oem filter and use a quickie joint. I do when I don't feel like doing it myself. You give them 3 quarts...stand there & watch them change the filter...4 minutes later your headed home to add the .5 and its a done deal.

 

I wasn't aware the maintenance reminder even had a setting to change. Just before 5,000 miles it should start nagging, not 3,000 miles

Sounds like this dealership knows how to make money

 

I understand the nav system allows reminders to be set. Perhaps the OP is referring to a user-programmable reminder that appears in the MFD, instead of the MAINT REQD amber light in the combination meter.

 

Ah, I don't have Nav, didn't know that

 

I just had my oil changed a few hours ago by a shop near my work. The last change was by the dealer when I bought the car (05). I was about 490 shy of 5,000 miles and changed it because of a road trip this weekend.

Will I be getting a warning light when I hit the 5,000 mark from the dealers change?
If so, is there a way to disable this. The warning NAV I will reset for another 5000. I just don't need a warning light on the Dashboard going off and me thinking it's only the oil change warning.

 

Starting at 4,500 miles from the last time the MAINT REQD light timer was reset, the MAINT REQD light should blink for a few seconds each time you start the car. I suggest that you look for this, to confirm what I have written and so that you can see what the light looks like.

Starting at 5,000 miles from the last time the timer was reset, the MAINT REQD light will turn on solid.

If you want to reset the timer now, you need to set the odometer to show cumulative miles, not one of the trip odometers. Then turn the car to IG-OFF. Then hold the trip odometer button in while you make the car IG-ON. Continue holding the button while you watch a series of dashes across the odometer reading. When that activity stops, then the timer will be reset.

 

He said " I was about 490 shy of 5,000 miles"

Now could you let us know where you get the 3000 mile oil change indication?

Is it a reminder that shows on the MFD?

Or is it the service reminder light near the speedometer?

 

No, I went 4,500 some. I bought the car in Jan 08 Used, with 65,000 on it. It came with documentation that showed the 1st owner changed the oil with Moble one every 5,000 miles, give or take a few hundred.

 

Yeah, that's weird.
Rudy's Maint Req. light comes on 5000 miles after reset.

Always follow the Maintenance Passport that SHOULD have been in the packet with the Owner's Manual. It states 5000 miles (US) between oil changes. Also lists whatever else should be done at each service interval.

You, too, can reset your own Maint Req light.